Hungary’s opposition Tisza Party wins parliamentary majority

Viktor Orbán’s 16-year grip on Hungary appears to have come to an end. Partial results released by the National Election Office late Sunday night show the opposition Tisza Party, led by Péter Magyar, projected to win a commanding 135 mandates in the 199-seat Parliament.

After these partial results were released, Viktor Orbán conceded to Péter Magyar and congratulated him on the victory. "Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just congratulated us on the phone on our victory," Magyar wrote on Facebook, confirming that the veteran leader had reached out to concede as the results became undeniable.

The concession marks the conclusion of one of the most contentious eras in modern Hungarian history. Orbán, who has served as Prime Minister since 2010, had faced increasing international and domestic pressure, but few polls predicted a landslide of this magnitude for the newly formed opposition coalition.

The election saw the highest voter turnout in Hungary’s post-communist history, reaching nearly 78% nationwide. In several districts, including the capital city of Budapest and the western counties of Győr-Moson-Sopron, turnout soared above 80%.

Péter Magyar, a former government insider turned whistleblower, campaigned on a platform of anti-corruption, restoring democratic checks and balances, and mending Hungary’s strained relationships within the European Union.

As the final votes are tallied, the Tisza Party’s projected 135 seats would give them the power to enact sweeping legislative changes. For Viktor Orbán, whose "illiberal democracy" became a blueprint for right-wing movements globally, the night represents a total collapse of his domestic political hegemony.